WTK: C6 Mounts for Iltis, Command and Reconnaisance & Other Mounts

[Ed Storey]

Thanks Tom for your well articulated response to my comments. As a current serving member of the Canadian Forces, your ability to formulate a proper reply to my comments without resorting to 'mud slinging' just reinforces my feelings about your total unsuitability to correctly and respectfully represent my military at public events.

[Scott Bentley]

Wow... This really went down hill.

I've never been a fan of people dressing up regardless... But i'm normally a live and let live kind of guy. From what i've seen in the US, this is a very normal past time.

Having said that, I feel Tom is getting an unfair shake here. The vehicle he chose to restore just so happens to be from a period that wore the current CF uniform. At the rate we update our uniforms, it will be many years before CADPAT is no longer current, so this really opens a big can of worms for many years down the road. People were wearing OG107 Combats at shows long before those went out of the system.... I've seen it with my own eyes, so this isn't a new thing wearing "current" issue uniforms.

I think the reason he is getting the unfair shake is over the nit-picking of the details of his dress, and wether he should be allowed to wear it at all. All I can say here is that i've seen many many Canadians at shows depicting the CF, and doing a FAR worse job than Tom, and I never saw anyone attacking them over it. Thats where this issue bothers me. People should be eating some Crow here.

The last show I attended in Oshawa, I watched people walking around in Nazi uniforms... How people can attack someone for wearing a current uniform, yet allow that at a show is beyond my level comprehension. Thankfully, there were no former/serving Nazi's around to criticize them about wether their Jackboots and Schmissers were correct.

Tom, I am proud to see a US Citizen taking the time to restore a Canadian Vehicle, and going to the lengths you have gone to in order to get the most correct equipment you can find. The Uniform bit is your choice, and I will not comment about its correctness, as that will require me have to correct anyone else I see at a show who has some mistakes. Besides, I am no longer a Warrant Officer and have better things to do now (OPMEs ) than look at boots and haircuts

Ed, i've got alot of respect for you and the work that you have done, but the CF is "our" (Canada's) military and not yours, and your opinion doesn't speak for me or any other serving member of the CF. Just want to make sure the Arcs of Fire are clear here, none of us a PAFFOs.

Lastly, I promise never to engage in these posts, but in this case I couldn't stop myself.

[Ed Storey]

Scotty, for sure my opinions are those of my own and do not reflect those of the CF.

I certainly agree that there are individuals who do a far worse job than Tom in their depictions of past and present CF uniforms (many of them Canadian) and I don't doubt his intentions are genuine, I am though concerned that his knowledge of the CF may be limited and portrayal of the military may not be accurate. I do though like the work he has done on his Iltis and I am pleased to see that he has restored one to running condition, but as I said earlier, I have doubts on his dress-up presentation.

I wrote earlier that it is the cavalier attitude towards wearing a Canadian uniform that I find distasteful. Going out and purchasing any Canadian 'crest' so that a neighbors son can ride on the Iltis seems to be a pretty big leap from showing honour to 'Northern Brothers' for fighting in the GWOT (his terminology not mine) to more like dressing up in a uniform that is cool and different from what is available locally and standing out in the crowd. Admittedly I have not seen Tom in person so I have no idea what he tells people about Canada's participation in the GWOT or any other conflict for that matter, or how the Cadet organization works, but if his reply to my criticisms is any indication of his ability to debate or defend himself then I have wonder how he handles himself in similar situations when dealing with the public.

Apparently none of us are PAFFOs, although I don't know that for sure, and we can all sit back and tacitly cast the blind eye of indifference to how enthusiasts dress up and portray the military; but at least speaking up and voicing an opinion may bring about a change.